In robotics cognitive systems, what are the roles of sensors and actuators?

• A. Perception via sensors; action via actuators
• B. Perception via actuators; action via sensors
• C. Perception via displays; action via databases
• D. Perception via databases; action via displays

Answer: (A)

Sensors provide perception; actuators provide action. In robotics cognitive systems, sensors gather information about the world—cameras, LiDAR, touch sensors, gyroscopes, etc.—which the system processes to understand its environment and state. The resulting decisions are then implemented by actuators—motors, servos, hydraulic/pneumatic actuators—that produce motion, force, or manipulation to interact with the environment. This perception–action loop is continuous: sensing informs understanding, and actions change the world, which is then re-sensed. Displays and databases don’t perform sensing or actuation; displays visualize data, and databases store it, so they don’t fulfill the roles of perception or action.